Connection for spout adjustment

ABSTRACT

The disclosure herein relates to plumbing fittings and primarily to concealed plumbing fittings of the type in which a valve body is mounted behind a wall surface and provides for regulation of liquid flow outwardly from the wall surface through some kind of a connection, in this instance comprising an elbow at the outer end of which is provided a threaded section adapted to engage a corresponding threaded section of a spout, the threads providing for adjustment to compensate for varying positions of the valve within the wall and it being necessary to furnish some kind of sealing means to prevent leakage. The leakage in this instance is overcome by the provision of an O-ring section in the threaded section of the valve unit elbow upon which the O-rings are seated, the O-rings in turn engaging the threads in the spout to effect the leakage prevention and sought hereby.

mted States Patent [1 1 3,640,305

Young 1 *Feb. 8, 1972 [54] .CONNECTION FOR SPOUT 3,392,746 7/1968 IYoung ..l37/360 ADJUSTMENT FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS [72]Inventor: Stephen A. Young, c/o Stephen A. Young Corp. Flora Ind 46929288,788 3/1965 Netherlands ..285/355 Notice: The portion of the term ofthis patent sub- Primary Examinerl-lenry T. Klinksiek sequent to July15, 1985, has been dis- Al! rney-R0bb&Robb

claimed.

[22] Filed: Apr. 24, 1969 l STRACT 1 pp Na: 818,902 The disclosureherein relates to plumbing fittings and primari- References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 2,246,436 6/1941 Downey ..285/349X Zetting Young..137/360 X ly to concealed plumbing fittings of the type in which avalve body is mounted behind a wall surface and provides for regulationof liquid flow outwardly from the wall surface through some kind of aconnection, in this instance comprising an elbow at the outer end ofwhich is provided a threaded section adapted to engage a correspondingthreaded section of a spout, the threads providing for adjustment tocompensate for varying positions of the valve within the wall and itbeing necessary to furnish some kind of sealing means to preventleakage. The leakage in this instance is overcome by the provision of anO-ring section in the threaded section of the valve unit elbow uponwhich the O-rings are seated, the O-rings in tum engaging the threads inthe spout to effect the leakage prevention and sought hereby.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures ax \n DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Aparticular purpose of the instant invention is to make possible themounting of a fitting known as a two-valve or shower or tub fitting asused in domestic plumbing installations, with respect to a wall surfacein such a manner that irrespective of the ultimate finish position ofthe wall surface, a spout may be positioned on and adapted to directwaterflow to a tub and adjustable with respect to the fixture so thatthe various inequalities in construction may be compensated for andovercome.

A particular object of the invention is to provide an elbow constructionadapted to connect a two-valve body for example, and extend outwardlyfrom a wall to furnish a seating position for a spout, the elbow in thisinstance being provided with a threaded section in which threadedsection O-rings are designed to be positioned, the O-rings in turnengaging a threaded section of the spout mounted on the elbow incontrast and what may be said to be, contrary to usual practice inconstruction of this nature.

A particular object of the invention is to construct an elbow in whichthe same is fabricated of a tubular body having an adapter at one end toconnect the same to the valve body, and at the other end a connectingsection in which O-ring grooves or a single groove if preferred, may beprovided, with O-rings seated therein, the O-rings in turn being forcedto engage the threaded section of a spout screwed upon the connector andprevent leakage between the respective threads of the connector andspout. The adjustment of the spout along the threads toward the wallbeing a one-time proposition so to speak, and thus irrespective of theactual mutilation of the O-rings, nevertheless efiectively sealedagainst leakage.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction involvingsealing of threads with O-rings which permits the replacement of a spoutif necessary, but necessitating the replacement of the O-rings used forsealing the same at such time as the spout is changed or removed for anyparticular purpose.

Other and further objects of the invention will be understood from aconsideration of the specification appended hereto and disclosed in thedrawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view, somewhat fragmentary in naturethrough a section of a wall, illustrating the position of a valve andthe associated elbow and spout mounted thereon.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view, partly fragmentary illustrating in sectionthe construction of the connector and mounting of the O'rings thereon.

Referring to the drawing, in FIG. 1, a wall surface such as is providedby the usual plaster surface of whatever composition is indicated at l,with a' valve body 2 mounted suitably therebehind, this valve bodyhaving an inlet (not shown) and a control stem 3 extending outwardlyfrom the wall and being provided with a handle 4 at the end thereof.

Extending from the lower end of the valve body 2 is shown an elbowgenerally denoted 5, which in this instance is comprised of a tubularmember 6 formed in a generally L'shaped arrangement, there being anadapter 7 at the upper end of the body 6, suitably soldered thereto andengaging by threads 8 formed thereon in threads formed at the lower endof the valve body 2 to provide a sealed connection therewith.

At the opposite end of the elbow and at the end indicated in FIG. 2 at9, there is positioned a connector designated 10 which includes ashouldered section 11 to receive the end 9 therein and be solderedthereto, and an O-ring supporting section 12 integral therewith.

The connector 10 is equipped with threads 13 which extend along theouter surface of said connector, and in the section 12 thereof there isprovided a pair of O-ring grooves 14 of identical form and of anypreferred shape which will receive and support O-rings such as 15therein, which O-rings as to their external diameters will extendsomewhat beyond the threadsfor purposes which will hereinafter be setforth.

Turning now to a conslderatlon again of FIG. I, a spout indicated at 16is shown as being mounted on the end of the elbow 5 as by the connector10 previously described, the threads 13 of said connector engagingcorresponding or comating threads 17 formed interiorly of the spout l6,and providing thereby for adjustment of the spout along the end of theelbow 5 to accommodate for varying positions of the valve body 2 behindthe wall surface I, as suggested by the dotted lines for the respectiveparts land spout 16.

As will be understood, the spout I6 is initially caused to engage thethreads 13 by the threads 17 within the spout, when installation of thespout is to be effected, and thereafter by suitable manipulation of thespout caused to engage the threads of the connector, and at the sametime of course the threads 17 within the spout move along over theO-rings 15 in the said connector.

Since continual movement or action of this kind would mutilate theOrings, ordinarily this would be an undesirable type of arrangement, butsince the spout is only intended to be emplaced on the end once when itis initially positioned for ultimate use, it will be apparent that themutilation of the O-rings 15 is not such as to prevent the sealingaction which they are furnished to provide, but on the other handactually promotes the sealing action by this arrangement.

It is pointed out that while this is contrary to accepted practice wherethe use of O-rings is concerned, it is the contemplation of thisinvention that this provides the necessary seal at the end, and in aninexpensive manner to very effectively permit the adjusting positioningof the spout as set forth.

It will be apparent that if the spout should ever require to be removedand replaced, O-rings 15 might be replaced likewise, and the sealingaction effected again in respect to such newly installed O-rings andeffectively maintained thereby thereafter.

I claim:

1. ln concealed fitting construction of the class described, incombination, a valve body for mounting behind a wall surface, inlet andoutlet means for said body, control means extending through the saidsurface for regulating flow from the inlet to the outlet, an elongatedelbow extending from the outlet aforesaid through the said surface todirect flow of liquid beyond said surface, a male threaded portion atthe extremity of the said elbow, an O-ring groove in the threads, anO-ring seated in the groove, and a spout member having a passagetherethrough, said passage having a threaded section to engage theportion and adjustable therealong, said O-ring efi'ecting a seal againstliquid flow between said threads in the various adjusted positions ofthe said spout necessary to accommodate for varying locations of thefitting and elbow with respect to the wall surface.

2. Fitting construction as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least a pair ofO-ring grooves are formed in the threads of said portion for sealingcontact with the threaded section of the spout.

3. Fitting construction as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elbowcomprises a tubular body bent to form an L-shaped part, an adapter ismounted at one end to connect the part to the valve body, and thethreaded portion is fonned on a connector soldered at the otherextremity of the part, said connector having a shouldered section toengage said extremity and an O-ring supporting section therebeyond, thethreads being formed along said sections adjacent the O-ring groove.

1. In concealed fitting construction of the class described, incombination, a valve body for mounting behind a wall surface, inlet andoutlet means for said body, control means extending through the saidsurface for regulating flow from the inlet to the outlet, an elongatedelbow extending from the outlet aforesaid through the said surface todirect flow of liquid beyond said surface, a male threaded portion atthe extremity of the said elbow, an O-ring groove in the thReads, anO-ring seated in the groove, and a spout member having a passagetherethrough, said passage having a threaded section to engage theportion and adjustable therealong, said O-ring effecting a seal againstliquid flow between said threads in the various adjusted positions ofthe said spout necessary to accommodate for varying locations of thefitting and elbow with respect to the wall surface.
 2. Fittingconstruction as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least a pair of O-ringgrooves are formed in the threads of said portion for sealing contactwith the threaded section of the spout.
 3. Fitting construction asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the elbow comprises a tubular body bent toform an L-shaped part, an adapter is mounted at one end to connect thepart to the valve body, and the threaded portion is formed on aconnector soldered at the other extremity of the part, said connectorhaving a shouldered section to engage said extremity and an O-ringsupporting section therebeyond, the threads being formed along saidsections adjacent the O-ring groove.